Wheel retainer with spiral cam actuated clamps



April 23, 1957 s. w. HAYES 2,789,517

WHEEL. RETAINER WITH SPIRAL CAM ACTUATED CLAMPS 2 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 a i ll I I *2 1 50 4 6 i1 657% a /g I A 25/ f 45 f 311142555,

April 23, 1957 S. W. HAYES WHEEL RETAINER WITH SPIRAL CAM ACTUATED CLAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 United States Patent d The present invention relates to impr ovements in- -railway wheel retainers which are also known as wheel checks or'car c1amps.- Such wheel retainers are clamped onto:

a rail and abut against the wheel of a railway car to preve'ntnndesired movement thereof.

The wheel retainerof this invention represents an improvement over that disclosed in Stanley W. Hayes Pat ent No. 2,359,106, issued September 26; 1944.

Frequently it is'ne ce'ssa'ry to blocka railway car against movement, such for example when the" car is spotted on a'fgrade or ona siding and might accidentally'move or be moved into the main line'. Such blocking is of a temporary nature; and uninformed 'orcarele'ss workmen many times resort "to wedging a chunk of'wood between the rail and the car wheel. This'is an unsafe method of block mg the car against movement because" the wood can easily be "dislodg'ed"or' crushed or splinterdbythe ca'r wheel should the car be suddenly jarred.

disadvantage of the earlier type of'safe'wheel retainer was the weight of the device which made its handlingby one'm'a'n sometimes inconvenient. T he wheel retainer of this" invention completely overcomes this'weight' disadvantage because it has'les's than half the weight of the retainer disclosed in the aforementioned patent." Alsoit is moreeompac't, simpler incons'tru'ction and easierto-usei 1 Apr'incipal' object of'the present inventionis the pro v s on of an'improved whe'elretainer which is light in" weight; simple in constructionand' easi'lyapplied to andremoved from'a rail.

Another object is to provide an improved wheelre'tainer constructed 'of' welded steel' plate and bar stock which is extremely sturdy.

Another object is to provide an improved wheel retainer which may be applied to rails of varying'heights having difierent sizes of rail heads.

Another object is to provide anirnproved-wheelretainer having opposedclampingelements arranged toengage the lower edge of the rail and which are brought into clamping position by a rotatable means reacting against the upper surface of therail head.

Another object is to provide an'improved wheel retainer having opposed' clamping elements arranged to engage the lower edge of the rail head, the clamping elements being loosely carried by a shaft whichis moved vertically by a rotatable means reacting against the top of the rail head opposite the points of engagement by the clamping elements.

Another object is to provide an'improved wheel retainerincorporating a rotatable cam means reacting against the top of the rail head to draw opposed clamping elements into engagement with the lower edge of the rail head.

Another object is to provide an improved wheel retainer of the type described wherein the cam means comprises-a pair of rotatable spiral cams.

Other objects and advantages W111 become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the wheel retainer of 2,789,517 Patented Apr. 23-,- 1957* 'ice 2. thisinvention- -slrown in position on the rail-- witha -rail-'- waywheel abutting against the retainer;

Fig. 2 is-a plan view of the Wheelretainery.

Figs 3 is a --front= end view and may be considered as being-takensubstantially along-the line 3-3 of -Fig.': l looking-in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a medial'yertical sectionalv-iew and may be considered =as -taken substantially along the line 44' of Fig. l but illiistratingthe clamping elements in their disengaged position immediately after the retainer'has been placedon the rail aaa'berere the clamping elements have been'brought-irito'engagement with the lower edge of the rail-headf I Fig. 5 is a perspective "view "showing-the wheel-retainer mounted ori'a rail of smausige; and" I Fig. 6 is a perspectivewiewshbwing'the wheel'retainer mounted en'a railof large size. H p

The wheel retainer, indieatedgen'erallyby'the reference characterlllj is mounted upon a rail 12 by clamping it to" the head14"there'of." In this 'position'the wheel retainer" ltl'is e'ngageablefbybrfabutsagainstthe'tread portion 16 of a railwaycar wheel 1 8.

The wheelretainer' Ill-comprises a generallyverticallyi extending 'main 'body'pl'a'te 20 having a forwardly and slightlyupwardlyprojecting portion 22 providing an abut ment fa-ce23li rail head=engaging clamping meanszaand means26 for operating the" clamping means to engage the rail head l l 'and lock thewhe'e'lretaines10 in opera'ti've position? h The main body plate" 20 is adapt'edto be seated on the toil-0f the rail hell (3 21361 t6 ll'pSt-Zirid VflieH-lly therefrom? At its-lo wr'end it is weldedto a bits 'bafifibnfiifitofi rectangnraeemsed tone-with the abutting e'nds of 'thebar welded toge'ther'at 30:" The plateau is located to bisec't' the-loop? A U -shap'ed carrying handle 62': at one -side of" the *wheel ret ainer 10 'is' weltled to the" base loopf28'2 It"will'b e observed from'Fi'g's. 3 and4 that-the 'loweredge" of the plate'20and tlie' lo'wei"tangential edge of theba'se' loop 28 lar'e copl'anar arid are 'adapted-to'lie on top ofi 'the' rail' head 14 when the retainer 14)- is in its chockihgfposi tion.

The plate ztlis-formedwith-a central'vertica lly extending "slot '34 through which extends-a shaft 36 carryi'nga': pair of identical clamping members 38. Each clamping; member '33- comprises a main plate 40whichextends generall'y' vertically atone-side-of the centerplate 20 and is apertured at 42- adjacentits upperendrotatably to receive the shaft 36. Adjacent its lower end -the plate 40 is' cut-'- to provide-a pair'of shoulders 44"- at the side edges thereof' against which are 'seatecl' complementary shoulders #45 formed on cam members46-whicharewelded to the outer face of the-plate 40. Each clamping element-has a-pairflof cam members, and each cammember 46 presents on its outer edge a cam surface which has a first outwardly and downwardly extending-portion 48 merginginto asecond outwardly and downwardly'rextending portion 49 which is arranged at a somewhat less acute angle to the plate40- and terminates in a maximum heelwidth at 50 (Figs. 3'

and 4). Each cam-member 46 is provided with anedge- 51 sloping downwardly and inwardly from the mating shoulders 44,45 and positioned to engagethelower 'outef cornerof the rail head The cam members 46 are" so positioned on the plates 40 that as they are drawn upwardly through spaces 52" at either side of the plate 20 and enclosed bythe base loop 28, the cam surfaces 48 and successively engage an inner fulcrum portion 53 on the loop bar to move the lower ends of the clamping elementsinwardlyjso that when they are raised as far as possible the edges 51 engage beneath the rail head. Since the loop 281s preferablyfortr'ie'd of round bar stock the" fulcrum" sur-"f face 53 provides a line contactwith the-"amenities"- 48, 49 which is smooth and free of sharp edges or obstructions and which readily accommodates angles of contact with the surfaces 48 and 49. The differently angled cam surfaces 48 and 49 are provided more effectively to clamp the wheel retainer to rails having various sizes of rail heads. The different positions of the clamp ing elements are illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 which show the retainer clamped to 4" and 7" rails, respectively.

When the clamping elements are in their lowermost position they may be freely moved outwardly of the center plate 20 to be separated sufficiently so that the wheel retainer may be placed upon the rail head with the clamping elements 38 hanging from the shaft 36 in the position shown in Fig. 4. The retainer may be placed on the rail by engaging one of the elements beneath the rail head and swinging the retainer thereabout so that the other clamping element falls on the opposite side of the rail head and the center plate 20 and base loop 28 drop onto the top of the rail head.

The means for raising and lowering the clamping elements into and out of rail head clamping position comprises a pair of spiral cams 54 which are welded to the shaft 36 on either side of the main wheel abutment plate 20. Each cam 54 has a cam surface 56 engaging the upper end 58 of a bearing block 60 which is welded to the face of the plate 20 and extends from a point slightly below the lower end of the slot 34 and to the lower edge of the plate 20 to be coplanar therewith. Therefore, when the wheel retainer has been placed upon a rail, each of the bearing blocks 60 has its lower end abutting against the rail head. Each spiral cam 54 has its gradually outwardly spiralling cam surface 56 terminating in a generally radial stop face 62 which is brought into engagement with the side of a bearing block 60 when the cam has reached the limit of its movement in the clockwise direction (Fig. 1), at which time the clamping elements 38 are in their lowermost position (Fig. 4). The shaft is rotated by means of a handle 64 connected to one end as by welding to a yoke 66 having a pin 68 extending therethrough and through a bearing block 70 welded to one end of the shaft 36. A stop pin 72 is welded to the opposite end of the shaft, and the pin and handle assembly prevent the clamping elements from being removed from the shaft 36.

When it is desired to place the wheel retainer in Wheel abutting position on the rail the handle 64 is rotated in the clockwise direction (Fig. 1) until the stop faces 62 on the cams 54 contact the sides of the bearing blocks thereby lowering the clamping elements to the positions shown in Fig. 4 in which they have their greatest sideward movement outwardly. The edges 51 on one of the clamping elements 38 are engaged beneath the rail head to serve as a pivot. The other clamping element is swung to the opposite side of the head, and the center plate 20 and blocks 60 and base loop 28 'are placed upon the top of the rail head and centered thereon so that the wheel engaging abutment face 23 is in position to engage the tread of a railway wheel. The handle 64 is then rotated in the counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) similarly to rotate the spiral earns 54, and the pivotal connection of the handle to the shaft 36 allows the rotation thereof to be clear of the retainer parts and thecar wheel. Since the spiral cams are welded to the shaft 36 which carries the clamping elements 38, the cam surfaces 56 riding on the top of the bearing blocks 60 raise the shaft 36 vertically in the slot 34. This movement lifts the clamping elements 38, and the cam surfaces 48 and 49 thereof engage against the inner fulcrum portions 53 of the base loop 28. A combination upward and inward movement of the clamping elements 38 is produced causing the inclined edges 51 to seat firmly against the lower outer edges of the rail head. At this point appreciable resistance to movement of the handle 64 is felt. When this condition arises the wheel retainer may be firmly set or locked in its position on the rail by smartly tapping the handle 64 to move it very slightly further in the counterclockwise direction.

It is better practice to place the wheel retainer on that rail which permits the handle 64 to be on the outside rather than the inside of the retainer for ease in manipulation. This preferred position is shown in Fig. 1.

The wheel retainer may be removed from the rail by reversing this operational sequence.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the wheel retainer of this invention is simple in construction so that it may be manufactured at low cost, it avoids the use of excessively heavy and unnecessary parts so that it is of relatively light weight, and that it is easily mounted on and demounted from a rail.

While a preferred embodiment of the Wheel retainer constituting this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that numerous modifications and variations thereof may be made Without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of this invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A wheel retainer adapted to be mounted on a railway rail, comprising in combination, structure adapted to be seated on top of a rail head and providing a central vertically slotted wheel abutment portion and fulcrum surfaces at both sides of said central portion and spaced therefrom, movable clamping elements at either side of said central portion with one clamping element between said central portion and each of said fulcrum surfaces, said clamping elements each having an aperture therein, a part engaging the underside of the rail head, and a cam surface engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface, a rotatable and vertically movable shaft extending through said slot and said clamping element apertures, and spiral cam means fixed to said shaft and acting against a part of said structure and in the plane of vertical movement of said shaft when said shaft is rotated to sides of said central portion and spaced therefrom, means on said central portion forming a pair of outstanding shoulders below said slot, movable clamping elements at either side of said central portion with one clamping element between said central portion and each of said fulcrum surfaces, said clamping elements each having an aperture therein aligned with said slot in said central portion, a part engaging the underside of the rail head, and a cam surface engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface, a rotatable and vertically movable shaft extending through said slot and said apertures and movably supporting said clamping elements, and a pair of spiral cams fixed to said shaft and positioned at either side of said central portion, each spiral cam having its cam surface riding on one of said outstanding shoulders so that rotation of said shaft in one direction lifts said clamping elements relative to said structure and said first named cam surfaces engage said fulcrum surfaces to direct said clamping element parts into engagement with the underside of said rail head.

3. A wheel retainer adapted to be mounted on a railway rail, comprising in combination structure adapted to be seated on top of a rail head and providing a central vertically slotted wheel abutment portion and fulcrum surfaces at both sides of said central portion and spaced therefrom, movable clamping elements at either side of said central portion with one clamping element between said central portion and each of said fulcrum surfaces, each clamping element including a generally vertically arranged plate having an aperture therein and means secured to said plate and presenting a part engaging the underside of the rail head and a cam surface providing portion engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface, a rotatable and vertically movable shaft extending through said slot and said clamping element apertures, rotatable spiral cam means fixed to said shaft and acting against a part of said structure and in the plane of vertical movement of said shaft when said shaft is rotated to raise said clamping elements and to cause said cam surfaces to engage said fulcrum surfaces to direct said clamping element parts into engagement with the underside of the rail head, and handle means fixed to an end of said shaft so that the latter may be rotated to rotate said cam means.

4. A wheel retainer adapted to be mounted on a railway rail, comprising in combination, structure adapted to be seated on top of a rail head and providing a central vertically slotted wheel abutment portion and fulcrum surfaces at both sides of said central portion and spaced therefrom, a pair of outstanding shoulders formed on said central portion below said slot, a pair of movable clamping elements at either side of said central portion with one clamping element between said central portion and each of said fulcrum surfaces, each clamping element including a generally vertically arranged plate having an aperture therein and means secured to the outer face of said plate and presenting a part engaging the underside of the rail head and a cam surface providing portion engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface, a manually rotatable shaft extending through and vertically movable in said slot and extending through said clamping element apertures, and a pair of spiral cams fixed to said shaft and positioned with one cam between said central portion and one of said plates, said cams acting against said shoulders in the plane of vertical movement of said shaft when said shaft is rotated to raise said clamping elements and to cause said cam surfaces to engage said fulcrum surfaces to direct said clamping element parts into engagement with the rail head.

5. A wheel retainer adapted to be mounted on a railway rail, comprising in combination, a base structure, a wheel abutment providing a body plate secured to said base structure and upstanding therefrom and having a vertically disposed slot therein, said base structure and said body member being adapted to be seated on top of a rail head, said base structure providing fulcrum surfaces at both sides of said main body plate and spaced therefrom, a pair of movable clamping elements positioned on either side of said body member with one element between said body member and each of said fulcrum surfaces, each clarnping element including a generally vertically disposed plate and a pair of cam forming plates secured to and outstanding from the outer surface thereof, said cam forming plates providing cam surfaces engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface and inwardly projecting parts engaging the underside of the rail head, and means for moving said clamping elements into and hold them in clamping position including a rotatable and vertically movable shaft passing through said slot and said vertically disposed clamping element plates, and cam members fixedly carried by said shaft and acting in the plane of vertical movement of said shaft to raise said shaft in said slot when said shaft is rotated in one direction.

6. A wheel retainer adapted to be mounted on a railway rail, comprising in combination, a base structure, a wheel abutment providing a body member secured to said base structure and upstanding therefrom and having a vertically disposed slot therein, said base structure and said body member being adapted to be seated on top of a rail head, said base structure providing fulcrum surfaces at both sides of said body member, a pair of movable clamping elements positioned on either side of said body member with an element between said body member and each of said fulcrum surfaces, each clamping element including a generally vertically disposed plate and a pair of cam forming plates secured to and outstanding from the outer surface thereof, said vertically disposed plate and said cam forming plates having interlocking locating shoulders, said cam forming plates providing cam surfaces engaging the adjacent fulcrum surface and surfaces extending inwardly and downwardly from said shoulders and engaging the underside of the rail head, and means for moving said clamping elements into and holding them in clamping position including a rotatable and vertically movable shaft passing through said slot and said clamping element plates, and cam members fixedly carried by said shaft and acting against a part of said body member and in the plane of vertical movement of said shaft to raise said shaft in said slot when said shaft is rotated in one direction.

Lehecka May 18, 1926 Hayes Sept. 26, 1944 

